William w



(No Model.)

W. W. GREENBR. Breech Loading Fire Arm.

No. 229,604. Patented July 6, I880.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM W. GREENER, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

BREECH-LOADING FIRE-ARM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 229,604, dated July 6, 1880. Application filed May 27, 1880. (No model.) Patented in England March 2, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. GREENER, of Birmingham, England, have invented certain Improvements in Breech-Loading Fire- Arms, of which the following is a specification.

' My invention relates to that class of breechloading fire-arms usually known as hammerless drop-down guns, and the invention consists in so constructing the tumblers that they will act as hammers for firing the charge, and so arranging them in connection with a hook, cam projection, or similar device connected to and moving with the barrels that the dropping of the barrels shall cock the arm, as herein after more fully described.

Figure 1 is a side elevation, with the breechframe shown in section, on the line was of Fig. 3. Fig. 2 is a similar view on the line 00 y of Fig. 3; and Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view, the front portion of the barrels and the rear portion of the breech-frame being broken away in each of the figures.

In constructing a gun on my plan the barrels B are hinged to the breech-frame A in the usual manner; but instead of the ordinary gunlock without side hammers, I construct the tumblers H nearly in the form of an elbow-lever, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. These tumblers, which are pivoted on a pin, 6, have their upper ends curved forward, and are provided with a small rounded point, which is arranged to strike through a small hole at the center of the breech-piece, in lieu of the firing-pin ordinarily used for igniting the charge, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2.

The lower front portions of the tumblers H are extended forward in the form of a flat arm, 0, as shown clearly in Figs. 1 and 2', and these arms are curved laterally inward, so that their inner ends nearly meet at the center, as shown in Fig. 3, each arm terminating with a small rounded projection, v, on its lower side, as shown in the several figures. As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, these tumblers H are each 10 cated in a suitable recess extending from the rear forward in each side of the breech-frame, said recesses being suitably formed to permit the front arm, 0, of the tumbler to vibrate therein, and also to permit the location therein of the mainspring L, as represented.

To one of the lumps in rear of the joint I pivot a pendant, I, which plays loosely in a vertical slot in the center of the front arm of the breech-trame,.directly in front of the converging arms 0 of the tumblers, this pendant I hav ing a hook-shaped projection of proper size and form to engage under the front ends of the arms 0 of the tumblers, as represented in Fig. 3 and in dotted lines in Fig. 2, so that when the rear ends of the barrels are raised this hook I raises the arms 0 of the tumblers far enough to permit the sears (l to engage in a notch in the tumblers, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, thus antoi'natically cooking the arm.

In order to hold this hook I back far enough to engage with the arms 0 of the tumblers, I insert a pin,f, in ahorizontal holein the lump affixed to the under side of the barrels, as shown in Fig. 2, this pin f being held in position by a set-screw, n, the "end of which en gages in an elongated recess in one side of the pin, thus preventing the latter from dropping out when the barrels are dismounted, and yet permitting it to move en dwise a short distance. At its front end this pin f bears against the detachable piece or fore end, D, which can be removed bymerely turnin g the button I), so that when this piece D is in position it holds the pin f back with its rear end bearing against the hook I, thereby keeping it in a position to engage with the arms 0 of the tumblers whenever the barrels are tipped to open the breech.

When it is desired to dismount the barrels, the fore end or piece, D, is detached, which permi ts the pin f to move forward,when the hook Ican swing forward so as to clear the ends of arms 0, thus permitting the barrels to be tipped far enough to unhook the lump from the jointpin E, and the barrels to be dismounted. By removing the fore end, D, before tipping the barrels, the hook I will swing away from the ends of the arms 0, and, as the barrels are tipped, will pass by them, thus leaving the arm uncooked, when the barrels are detached.

There is a scar, O, pivoted on a pin, 6, in rear of each tumbler, and a sear-spring, Z, arranged to bear on the under side of a shoulder on the sear, as shown in Fig. 3, by which the nose of the sea-r is made to engage in the notch in the tumbler whenever the latter is thrown to the cocked position.

with its lower end of T form, thus obviating the turnin g in of the arms 0, the lateral arms of the T in that case extending out far enough to engage under the ends of the straight arms 0,- or I can construct the horizontal pin or rod fot' sufficient strength and of the proper shape at its rear end to engage with the arms 0 direct, and thus dispense with the intermediate hook, I; or I can pivot a cam to the lump in such a manner that when the fore end, D, is secured in place it will, by bearing against the front side of the cam, cause its rear edge to protrude so as to engage with the arms 0, and thus produce the same effect in substantially the same manner and for the same purpose, these various plans or devices being merely modifications of the same general plan or idea.

It is obvious that the shorterthearms 0 of the tumblers are and the farther back the hook I or other lifting device is located the greater will be the distance through which the tumblers will be moved in tipping the barrels, and these may be varied at the will of the constructor. All that is required in this respect is, that the tumblers shall have sufficient movement to strike the cap with the force requisite for its explosion.

By making the front arms, 0, of the tumblers long and locating the lifting-hook I near the axis on which the barrels turn, much less force will be required to cook the arm, though the weight of the front portion of the barrels will always be sufficient to cook the arm, whichever of the above arrangements may be adopted, or, if not, a very slight pressure on the barrels will do so. I

I also contemplate the use of a spring of any form of device may be used in its stead, up to its work, and thus dispense with the aid of the fore end, D, in cooking the arm.

suitable form to keep'the hook I, or whatever I am aware of the patent to Anson 8t Deeley,

of February 1, 1876, and also of English patent No. 461 of 1877, and also that various plans had been previously devised for cooking guns by opening the breech, and therefore I do not claim, broadly, the idea of cooking the hammers by dropping the barrels or opening the breech; but

What I do claim is-- The tumblers H, having their front arms, 0, curved laterally inward, so as to nearly meet at the center, in combination with the hookshaped pendant I and pinf, or equivalent devices, secured to the lump on the barrels and arranged to operate upon the tumblers, substantially as and, for the purpose set forth.

WILLIAM WELLINGTON GREENER. Witnesses:

THOMAS REEVES, WILLIAM OLIVER GREENER. 

